Self-releasing brake-handle for tram-cars, &amp;c.



No. 819,402, PATENTED-MAY 1,- 1906.

' M. BELMONDO.

SELF RELEASING BRAKE HANDLE FOR TEAM CARS, 8w. APPLICATION FILED AUG? 6, 1906.

ANDREW a swim co. mm'wuruocuwms. wAsmuutoN n cy MARIUS BELMONDO, OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE.

SELF-RELEASING BRAKE-HANDLE FOR TEAM- CARS, &0-

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented. May 1, 1906.

Application filed August 8,1905. Serial No. 273,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARIUS BELMONDO, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Marseille, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Releasing Brake-Handles for Electric Tram Cars and other Vehicles, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists of a self-releasing brake-handle for the manipulation of the brakes of electric tram-cars and other vehicles.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the axis of the handle A Fig. 2, a plan view of anupper ratchetpinion B.

The form of the handle A is as near as possible that of the ordinary handles at present employed in electric tram-cars. The system of ratchets B and C is absolutely similar to the existing one, except that the upper pinion B has been prolonged in the upper part in order to form a catch D, which receives the tongue or bolt E.

If the button F, on which a spring G is mounted and which is placed in the grasp of the handle, be pressed, the handle pushes back the tongue E into the catch D by its lower beveled extremity H and the catch D lifts the pinion B and prevents it gearing with the pinion C, fixed on the brake-rod I. The handle is at this moment absolutely loose, and the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 1. When the button F is no longer pressed, it rises by the action of the spring G and the spring J forces back the tongue E, causing the pinion B to again descend onto the pinion C, the handle being thus again brought into gear with the brakerod I as regards one direction only, being free in the other. The brake may thus be applied without imparting to the handle a complete revolution, it being only necessary to rniake small movements forward and backwar In order to release the brake, it is sufficient to press with the thumb of the hand which holds the grasp of the handle on the button F and to press with the foot on a pedal provided for the purpose and placed at the bottom of the brake-rod I. This pedal releases the spring-tongue, and the brake-rod I, being no longer retained, turns freely of itself under the action of the ordinary brake springs without the handle making any movement.

The advantages of this invention are, first, the prevention of accidents which frequently happen with fixed handles when the latter escape from the hand of the driver, and having a rapid rotary motion inflict injury on him; second, the facility afforded the driver for operating the brake when the platform is full of passengers and when he cannot step back to afford room for the handle to pass, and, third, in the lessened fatigue which the incessant operation of the brake causes to the driver.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is In a self-releasing handle. for the brakes of electric tram-cars and other vehicles, a springcontrolled button F, placed in the handle A and acting by means of a beveled extremity H on a tongue E in the horizontal part of the handle which tongue penetrating a catch D connected to one of the two toothed pinions B and C renders the handle free in both directions when the said button F is depressed, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARIUS BELMONDO.

Witnesses:

EUGENE DUOATTON, ALLAN MAOFARLANE 

